1105 Yakima Street - Debbie Macomber [66]
“Sure he is,” Cliff said, crossing his arms. “Just look at him, cuddled up on your lap. Pet him, Grace. He needs affection.”
“He’s not getting it from me.”
Cliff shook his head. “You’re a hard woman.”
She ignored that. “You think I don’t know what you’re doing?”
“Which is what?”
“You’re trying to coax me to be friends with Beau. Well, it isn’t going to happen.”
“You bought him the chew toy.”
She had, but that was for self-preservation. “I didn’t want him cutting his teeth on my shoes.” Because she was often on her feet for long periods of time, Grace purchased high-end pumps that were both attractive and designed for comfort. The last thing she wanted was for Beau to make a meal out of one of those.
“I have that meeting at ten,” Cliff reminded her.
“I know.” She wasn’t happy about it, but she had little cause for complaint, since Cliff had been so accommodating toward the puppy.
“He’ll sleep all morning.”
“We can only hope.” She worried about what would happen if the puppy got away from her at the library. If he got lost…
“He’s a good-natured little guy.”
“Maybe someone will steal him,” she joked. Well…sort of joked.
“Grace!”
His disapproval annoyed her. “If you’re up, you might as well feed him.”
“I’d rather watch you.”
Grace frowned. “You don’t seriously want this dog, do you?” She didn’t give him a chance to respond. “Puppies are a nuisance.” The fact that Cliff had disregarded her wishes concerning this dog didn’t sit well with her. It hadn’t taken him more than a day to fall under Beau’s spell.
“If anyone had asked me,” Cliff said, “I would’ve agreed with you. We don’t need a puppy.”
“Thank goodness,” she murmured.
“Then Beau arrived on our doorstep…”
“He was foisted on me by a woman with a conniving mind,” Grace said irritably.
“He’s a good puppy.”
“He’s a nuisance.”
“To you, maybe, but he’s grown on me.”
“Cliff,” she wailed. “I can’t believe you’re saying this. Do you think it was any accident that Beth placed this puppy with us? You’re falling right in with her schemes.”
“Is that so bad? All Beth wants is a good home for these puppies.”
“But I don’t want a puppy,” Grace said, glaring across the room at her husband. “Or any other dog for that matter. Buttercup is gone, and that’s the end of any pets for us. Agreed?” she asked pointedly.
Maybe Cliff thought he could convince her to change her mind; in that case, she wanted it understood right now that wasn’t going to happen.
“Whatever you say, Grace. This is totally up to you.”
“Good, because my decision’s already made.” She heard a sucking noise and realized the bottle was empty. Gently she withdrew the nipple from Beau’s mouth.
“It wouldn’t hurt you to give him a bit of affection.”
Grace ran her index finger down the puppy’s back. He was so small and skinny she could feel the ridges of his spine. Poor thing really was undernourished. To Cliff’s credit, Beau looked healthier than when he’d first arrived, but that wasn’t saying much.
Beau’s deep brown eyes seemed to plead with her. Well, if he was hoping to steal her heart, he could look elsewhere.
“Should I give him a second bottle?” she asked.
“No. It’s not good to feed him too much at once. Better to let him eat smaller meals but more often.”
That made sense.
“I don’t need to burp him, do I? Like a baby?”
“No. He’ll be asleep in a few minutes.”
Sure enough, Beau settled contentedly onto her lap and quickly went back to sleep. Grace wished it was as easy for her. When she returned Beau to his box and got into bed, she tossed and turned, unable to sleep. Cliff, on the other hand, obviously had no problem. Within minutes—no, seconds, she thought enviously—he was deep in dreamland.
Lying on her back, staring up at the ceiling, Grace recalled the day Charlotte Rhodes had brought Buttercup to the house. Except that Charlotte had been Charlotte Jefferson then.
That was such a dark time in Grace’s life. Dan had gone missing and, to all appearances, seemed to have run off with another woman. She remembered the day someone had reported